Bed



F. M. GARNER.

A BED."

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2, i919! 1,335,961', Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

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'FRANCIS M. Gemma, or BEECH GROVE, ARKANSAS.

" BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. e., 1920.

Application filed April 2, 1919. Serial No. 286,955.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. GARNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Beech Grove, in the county of Greene and State of Arkansas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beds, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention is a bed and'has for its principal object'the productionof a structure which presents a yieldable and soft supporting surfacealthough when desired the bed may be folded to occupy only a minimumamount of space.

Another object. of this invention is the production of a bed whichincludes an inflated bag, thus causing the bag to present a yieldableand comparatively soft supporting surface although when desiredV the airmay be released from the bag to allow the same to collapse and be foldedto occupy a minimum space.

Another object of the invention is the proi duction of a. bed whereineflicient reinforcing means of a flexible nature are employed forpreventing the bag from unduly expand- Y ing beyond proper shape wheninflated, al-

though the reinforcing means will not interfere with the collapsing andfolding of the bag.

' One practical form of construction and assembly of the presentinvention will behereinafter describedand is illustrated in the drawing,in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of the bed in inflatedco-ndition.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view through a portion of the devicetaken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bag isindicated in its'entirety at 5.V This bag comprises a top sec tion 7 anda lower section 8 which sections have end walls 9 and side walls 10. Thewalls of one section arelixed to the walls of the remaining section asindicated at 11. However, it should be understood that the specificconstruction illustrated may be departed from, since the inventionresides specifically in the provision of a pneumatic bag, having aparticular and efficient reinforcing means and is not confined to thespecific construction of the bag.

This bag may be formed of rubberized canvas or of any other strong andflexible material which has been'treated to make vthe same air proof toprevent escaping of the air with which the bag is inflated.

By referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that 'an air valve 12 is providedwhereby air may be' forced into the bag or may be releasedV therefrom asdesired. Straps 13 of any suitable'm'aterial larel fixed and thencemented or may be glued or otherwise secured upon the'rend walls9 ofthe 'upper and lower sections vand the ystraps 13 have outwardlyextending loopedv portions 14 leading therefrom as shown in Figs. 1 and2. Beinforcing or bracing cables .15 extend longitudinally of vthe bagand have branches 16 retained by -a binding member 17 adjacent each endof each cable 15 making the fork at eachend of the cable. It will'beseen that the branches 16 are comparatively short and have loops 18 at'their ends as have the cables 15. The vrings 20 areprovided with fiatinner portions engaging the loop let of the straps 13 and vthe outersemi-circular portions of the rings 2O are engaged by the loops 18asshewn in Figs. 1 and.2 thus connecting the cables 15 and the branches16 thereof to the end walls 9. by the strap and ring.' j The side walls'10 have strips 13 lixed thereon in any desiredmanner, these stri ishaving loops 14 :struck outwardly therefrom. The transversely extendingi brace cables 21 alsohave branches 1GV secured thereto by bindingmembers 17 adjacent their ends, the branch members and the cables 21having loops 18 at their ends connected by rings 20 to the loops lil. Y

Strips 13 are fixed upon the bottom section 8 and the top section 7 andare also provided with the inwardly extending truss loops 14". Thestrips upon the sections are in alinement with each other as shown inFig. 2. Accordingly the vertical braceca- Y thus per and lower ends alsohave rings 20 connected thereto and secured to the loops let ofthestrips 13". The vertical cables 22 are not provided with the shortbraces at their ends to provide the forks, it being noted by referringto Fig. 1 that the vertical braces are quite numerous and for thisreason do not need the forks at their ends.

It will be noted, however, that although the walls are reinforcedthroughout their1 entire heights, the cables l5 and 2l extend centrallythrough the bag and for this reason when a person is resting upon thebed, the top section 7 thereof although yielding will not allow theperson to be uncomfortable by sagging and engaging the cables 15 and 21.If, however, a number of horizontally. extending cables were provided indifferent horizontal planes, instead of providing the fork ends byproviding the short branches as above explained it is obvious that anyslight yielding of the bed bag l'to make the same comfortable, wouldcause the person to engage these braces or stays which would make thesame uncomfortable. The present device overcomes this objection,however. It will be noted further that although the walls as well as thetop and bottom sections are suiiciently reinforced all parts of thedevice are readily iexible as no rigid reinforcing frame is provided andfor this reason when the bag is deliated it may be rolled up or foldedto occupy only a minimum amount of space which would not be true of aninliatable bag wherein rigid reinforcing frames are employed to hold thebag in its correct shape. A device of the present nature, therefore canbe folded to occupy a minimum space to allow several devices to occupythe space necessary for an ordinary mattress or. bed and for -thisreason the device is particularly adapted and suitable for use where agreat many mattresses are employed, such for instance as in army camps,hospitals and the like.

It will therefore be seen that a very simple and efficient pneumatic bedbag is provided which, when inflated will present a comparatively softsurface although the reinforcing means used to hold the bed bag incorrect position and reinforce the same are so arranged as to positivelyhold the bag correctly without beingy felt by a person who may beresting upon the bag.

The firegoing description and accompanying drawings have-reference towhat might be considered to be the approved or preferred form of myinvention. I desire it to be understood that I may make such changes inthe construction, combination and arrangement of parts, materials,dimensions, et cetera, asmay prove expedient and fall within the scopeof the appended claim.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

In a bed of the character described, the combination of an insertiblesubstantially rectangular bed including side and end walls, verticallyextending straps fixed upon the inner surfaces of said walls and extend--ing the entire height of said walls, each strap having a plurality ofoutwardly extending loopedv portions,y rings connected to the loopedportions, longitudinally extending and transversely extending cablespositioned within said bag, said cables having diverging branchessecured thereto adjacent their ends, said branches and said cables beingconnected to said rings, said cables extending within the bag adjacentthe center thereof, whereby when a person is resting upon a bed the bagwill yield slightly so that the person will not rest upon the tautcables, and said cables and branches reinforcing said side and end wallsthroughout their height to hold the bag from losing its proper shape. y

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS M. GARNER.

lVitnesses W.. ARTHUR JONES, GEO. H. ROGERS.

